SC defers hearing on Niyamgiri bauxite mining

The Supreme Court of India (SC) on Monday deferred the hearing on the petition challenging cancellation of environmental clearance to Niyamgiri Bauxite Mining Project of the UK-based Vedanta's Indian arm Sterlite Industries in the state.

The apex court has fixed April 9, as the next date of hearing. The SC had earlier fixed January 30, as the date for final hearing and disposal of the case.

In April last year, the SC had issued notices to the Orissa government, the Ministry of Environment and Forestry (MoEF) and Sterlite Industries to represent before the court.

Terming the Centre’s order as illegal, arbitrary and in violation of the apex court's earlier directions that gave a green signal to the project, state-run Orissa Mining Corporation on March 8, 2011, had moved the apex court, challenging the Central government's decision to reject environmental clearance to the bauxite mining project in Niyamgiri Hills.

It may be noted OMC holds the mining lease for the Niyamgiri bauxite deposits in Kalahandi district and Sterlite Industries had entered into a joint venture agreement with it for raising the resources.

The Environment Ministry had on August 24, 2010 rejected the clearance to the $1.7 billion bauxite mining project citing rampant violations of forest and environmental laws. Though MoEF had earlier given in-principle approval to the project in 2007, it later withdrew the clearance acting on the recommendation of the Forest Advisory Committee (FAC).

Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh had said, “There has been a very serious violation of Environment Protection Act, Forest Conservation and Rights Acts by the Orissa government as also violation of norms by the company.”

He also accused Vedanta of having committed several irregularities after the Supreme Court had given a favourable judgement to the project for mining in August 2008.